We have been on a vacation to visit family near Chicago. We have had a great time!!
Just spending time with cousins is so fun for the kids.
Sat. we went into the city. The girls all went to the American Girl doll store. The boys came a little later. We all met at Taste of Chicago. It was a huge event, thousands upon thousands of people, and with 8 kids it was an experience to remember. Very hot outside! We stayed just a little while, and didn't taste much of the food.
We were well equipped, 2 strollers that hold three kids, bus passes and water.
I think the highlight for the kids was riding the train.
Sunday we went to Downer's Grove to the Heritage Festival. The kids really loved this. We managed to get free food at a church and they let the kids play in these big blow up jumper things in their parking lot. Then, we went into the festival and rode the kiddie rides. It was much cooler, even rained a little, but the kids didn't mind at all. They had soooo much fun.
I'll put some pictures up later.
Layne
Monday, June 30, 2008
Friday, June 13, 2008
We have a court date!!!
We are ready for finalization and have received a court date. It just happens to be the day before our wedding anniversary!
Layne
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Family News
Lea called today and announced she is coming to visit. Since she lives in the Chicago area and has 3 kids now, I was very impressed. I admire her.........she is very adventuresome we all can't wait to see them. She and her husband have a new baby. God has blessed them again through the miracle of adoption. Kaylee, Erin and I have met the baby but now everyone here will get to meet her.
Another piece of news in our house...........Layne is back in school for another Master's degree. He wants an administration masters so he would be able to be a school principal or do more administrative duties in the field of educational technology. Anyway, this means his nights are filled with paper writing and on-line classes. This is a huge time commitment for the month of June and July and he should be able to complete the degree in about 2 years. God has opened doors for this opportunity and we are excited to see what He has in store.
Our dear Ethiopian friends are moving. We are sad to see them go, but he was offered a job teaching agriculture at a state school here in Iowa. Thankfully they will still live in Iowa and we will keep in touch. I am going to help watch their kids this week as they get some packing done. Tess, my friend has been so kind to supply with Ethiopian food. Levi will miss this tremendously. They have family that live near the village the boys were born. Lord willing, we hope to travel back to Ethiopia some day and would love to go with this family.
Another piece of news in our house...........Layne is back in school for another Master's degree. He wants an administration masters so he would be able to be a school principal or do more administrative duties in the field of educational technology. Anyway, this means his nights are filled with paper writing and on-line classes. This is a huge time commitment for the month of June and July and he should be able to complete the degree in about 2 years. God has opened doors for this opportunity and we are excited to see what He has in store.
Our dear Ethiopian friends are moving. We are sad to see them go, but he was offered a job teaching agriculture at a state school here in Iowa. Thankfully they will still live in Iowa and we will keep in touch. I am going to help watch their kids this week as they get some packing done. Tess, my friend has been so kind to supply with Ethiopian food. Levi will miss this tremendously. They have family that live near the village the boys were born. Lord willing, we hope to travel back to Ethiopia some day and would love to go with this family.
I Think it is the Chicken!!!
Oh my, was I cracking up at Levi tonight. They kids were getting ready for bed and I was overseeing the flossing routine. As I was flossing Levi's teeth he cried out in pain. He explained his mouth hurt. I looked inside and discovered yet another canker sore. He had one about two months ago too.
Now before I explain what he said, I must tell you we had chicken, potatoes, and carrots tonight for supper. Levi is not a huge fan of meat, especially larger pieces that have to be chewed. I really think this is just a result of not being familiar with eating much meat in Ethiopia. His diet for four years consisted of corn bread and occasional roasted grain. ANYWAY, he did eat supper, but was not to excited about the chicken.
Now back to the flossing and canker sore.................
As I examined his sore he looked me straight in the eye with the most SERIOUS face. He said, "Mom, eating chicken gives me the sore in my mouth!" This just caught me so off guard and made me giggle. I said, "Really?!" We ended up both giggling about it and he explained again that he did not like chicken very much.
Posted by Tanya
Now before I explain what he said, I must tell you we had chicken, potatoes, and carrots tonight for supper. Levi is not a huge fan of meat, especially larger pieces that have to be chewed. I really think this is just a result of not being familiar with eating much meat in Ethiopia. His diet for four years consisted of corn bread and occasional roasted grain. ANYWAY, he did eat supper, but was not to excited about the chicken.
Now back to the flossing and canker sore.................
As I examined his sore he looked me straight in the eye with the most SERIOUS face. He said, "Mom, eating chicken gives me the sore in my mouth!" This just caught me so off guard and made me giggle. I said, "Really?!" We ended up both giggling about it and he explained again that he did not like chicken very much.
Posted by Tanya
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Erin turned 4 today! Happy Birthday!!
These pictures are from her party on Sunday with Mema, Bumpakk, Bopie and Bompa. She wanted to wear her bonnet and her tutu for most of the party, until she opened the pretty twirly dress that's in the bottom picture. She had a beautiful princess castle cake made by a very special professional cake maker (mommy) Erin was so happy about her cake. She kept telling Tanya, "you did such a good job mommy, thank you!!"
Today she had a special day too. She went to Drama camp, ate a lunch at McDonald land playplace, had a special outing with bopie and attempted to go to "Horton hears a Who" but showtimes got mixed up and it didn't work out. She then played with her friend Helena at Isaac's baseball game. I can't believe she is already 4! What is a Daddy to do?????
Today she had a special day too. She went to Drama camp, ate a lunch at McDonald land playplace, had a special outing with bopie and attempted to go to "Horton hears a Who" but showtimes got mixed up and it didn't work out. She then played with her friend Helena at Isaac's baseball game. I can't believe she is already 4! What is a Daddy to do?????
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Boys at the Safety Fair
Coach Pitch schedule:
- 5/27 7:15 Hinton field 2
- 5/31 10am Hinton field 1
- 6/3 7:15pm Headid field 3
- 6/7 Sat. 12:30 pm Hinton field 2
- 6/12 thurs. 7:15pm Headid field 3
- 6/14 Sat. 12:30 Headid field 3
- 6/16 Mon. 6pm Headid 3
- 6/21 Sat. 2pm headid 3
Monday, May 19, 2008
video from Isaacs Birthday Party 5/3/08
It took longer than I had planned but i finally put a little video together from Isaac's B'day party.
The first part is the Calesthenics, then Isaac running the obstacle course (double-time).
enjoy
The first part is the Calesthenics, then Isaac running the obstacle course (double-time).
enjoy
Friday, May 09, 2008
Happy birthday, Isaac!!
Isaac turns 7 years old today! He had a party last weekend with a bunch of his friends. They were all dressed in camouflage and we did soldier drills and played football. It was super fun. We are doing some very special stuff this weekend for his birthday.
Comment to wish him a happy bday!
Monday, April 28, 2008
difficult to describe
We had a date night and some very dear friends of ours met with us. 2 of their children babysat the kids while Tanya and I had some valuable time to talk, connect and laugh together. I say laugh together because that is what felt so good. So often when we are home together, the busyness of our house doesn't allow us to really connect, be goofy and just enjoy each other. It was good to do that tonight.
The couple that met with us was encouraging to us in a deep way. They too have experienced adoption and the difficult to describe emotions that come with it. They understood so many things and graciously, lovingly ministered to us. Here's some of the verses God used in our conversation tonight:
Matthew 5:39 Jesus teaching us about being "non-reactive"
John 8 --- Jesus gentle handling of the woman is a testimony to his kindness and truth.
Romans 2:2-4 - 2 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. 3 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?
Leviticus 19:34 You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God. 35 “You shall do no wrong in judgment, in measures of length or weight or quantity. 36 You shall have just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt. 37 And you shall observe all my statutes and all my rules, and do them: I am the Lord.”
Dueteronomy 8:2 And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. 3 And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. 4 Your clothing did not wear out on you and your foot did not swell these forty years. 5 Know then in your heart that, as a man disciplines his son, the Lord your God disciplines you. 6 So you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God by walking in his ways and by fearing him. 7 For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing out in the valleys and hills, 8 a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey, 9 a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing, a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you can dig copper. 10 And you shall eat and be full, and you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.
What a gift of grace to have these people who care deeply for our souls and for the spiritual well being of our children. They acted out 1 Thess. 2:12 by Exhorting us and encouraging us to walk as parents in a manner worthy of God.
The couple that met with us was encouraging to us in a deep way. They too have experienced adoption and the difficult to describe emotions that come with it. They understood so many things and graciously, lovingly ministered to us. Here's some of the verses God used in our conversation tonight:
Matthew 5:39 Jesus teaching us about being "non-reactive"
John 8 --- Jesus gentle handling of the woman is a testimony to his kindness and truth.
Romans 2:2-4 - 2 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. 3 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?
Leviticus 19:34 You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God. 35 “You shall do no wrong in judgment, in measures of length or weight or quantity. 36 You shall have just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt. 37 And you shall observe all my statutes and all my rules, and do them: I am the Lord.”
Dueteronomy 8:2 And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. 3 And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. 4 Your clothing did not wear out on you and your foot did not swell these forty years. 5 Know then in your heart that, as a man disciplines his son, the Lord your God disciplines you. 6 So you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God by walking in his ways and by fearing him. 7 For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing out in the valleys and hills, 8 a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey, 9 a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing, a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you can dig copper. 10 And you shall eat and be full, and you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.
What a gift of grace to have these people who care deeply for our souls and for the spiritual well being of our children. They acted out 1 Thess. 2:12 by Exhorting us and encouraging us to walk as parents in a manner worthy of God.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Levi and the bike
Ever since we got home last July - Levi has loved riding his bike with training wheels. It was a sad day last winter when we put it in the shed and said goodbye to it for a few months. Well, now that it is getting nicer outside and he is 5, I decided that we would try to get him to ride without training wheels. I really had built this up in my head to be a major event. Full of hardship, tears, possibly bleeding and bruises. Perhaps some real powerful teaching moments about perservering and then, in the end accomplishment, joy and success! Almost metaphorical as to what we have been through together in the last 8 mos. I had Isaac help in the process. He used the crescent wrench to remove the training wheels. I held the back of the seat for balance as Levi got on the bike. I reassured him that I wouldn't let go and not to be afraid.
However... His feet merely touched the pedals and he sped away from me across the front lawn. perfectly balanced, quickly- like he'd done it a million times. He attempted to turn and gently fell to the grass. Levi turned to look for me as I came running towards him. I exclaimed " You DID IT! you can ride your bike!!" and he looked up at me with that HUGE Levi smile and said "Yup, and you didn't even help me."
There went my metaphor, right out the window. Or did it?
I told Tanya this story and she explained that maybe what God is showing me is that I just need to "Let go and let God" and she's right. I tend to try to shape things into what I think they should be. I know that I'm guilty of this with our kids. Trying to get them to behave a certain way so they look right, instead of really addressing their hearts and encouraging them.
The bike, well, lets just say the tires are going bald and were putting some serious miles on during these sunny days! He rides like a champ and keeps up with Isaac, which is no easy task.
Layne
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Spring Game
I got tickets and I took Isaac and Levi to Lincoln, NE. Home of the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
Tanya's dad and sister went too (It is Wally's Birthday today!)
It was an amazing time, the boys were really good and we had FUN!
I tried to make a little slideshow (below), but it's hard to read the captions :(
Just look at the pictures and ignore the captions, you'll get a better idea for how the day went!
It's a little more than 2 min. long.
Mom and Dad, you are going to hate the end!
Layne
Tanya's dad and sister went too (It is Wally's Birthday today!)
It was an amazing time, the boys were really good and we had FUN!
I tried to make a little slideshow (below), but it's hard to read the captions :(
Just look at the pictures and ignore the captions, you'll get a better idea for how the day went!
It's a little more than 2 min. long.
Mom and Dad, you are going to hate the end!
Layne
It's been over a month
We haven't really blogged at all in the last month. We are bad bloggers!
There's been a lot to blog about, but no time to do it.
March 27th, 2008. One year previous, Levi and Jesse were spending their first night in a strange place. I can't imagine the confusion and emotion they have had to encounter in this past year.
April 16th was the 1 year anniversary of our referral for Levi and Jesse.
The emotions of that day are still so clear in our minds and hearts, and yet what a ride our family has been on since then!
Soon we will be experiencing another milestone. We will be finalizing legally our adoption. This process is something that we are a little nervous about because we don't know exactly what to expect. Many have assured us that it is simple and nothing to worry about. We have a lawyer and the steps are in place to expedite the process. Hopefully, everything will go smooth.
1 Peter 5:7 "Cast all your burdens on Him, because He cares for you"
Layne
There's been a lot to blog about, but no time to do it.
March 27th, 2008. One year previous, Levi and Jesse were spending their first night in a strange place. I can't imagine the confusion and emotion they have had to encounter in this past year.
April 16th was the 1 year anniversary of our referral for Levi and Jesse.
The emotions of that day are still so clear in our minds and hearts, and yet what a ride our family has been on since then!
Soon we will be experiencing another milestone. We will be finalizing legally our adoption. This process is something that we are a little nervous about because we don't know exactly what to expect. Many have assured us that it is simple and nothing to worry about. We have a lawyer and the steps are in place to expedite the process. Hopefully, everything will go smooth.
1 Peter 5:7 "Cast all your burdens on Him, because He cares for you"
Layne
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Friday, March 14, 2008
What's For Lunch Today????
Levi and Jesse were so happy they could hardly contain themselves. They had injera and wat for lunch today. For those of you new to Ethiopian cuisine injera is their staple flat bread that has a sour dough taste and wat is any sauce or stewlike substance you dip the injera in. It still amazes me that Jesse (who was 14 mo when we brought him home) eats and dips like a pro!! I love to watch his chubby little hands handle the bread.
I am sorry to say that "mama" did NOT make this lunch. It was a gift from a friend of mine, Tess. She is originally from a village very very close (as we are finding out) to the village the boys were born. This is amazing since our town has a small Ethiopian population. She actually used to live in Medula the town of their birth. God has been so gracious to bring us together. We were able to have coffee this week and get to know each other even more. You know when you just connect to a certain someone?! Not only do we have a connection in Christ, we just plain hit it off.
Anyway, my friend made the wat (sauce) and has discovered an older Ethiopian women on the other side of town who makes and sells injera. SCORE!!! I am hoping she is able to sell some more to us soon as my friend is going to help me cook some sauces to go with. It is amazing how this food makes our little guys so happy. It gives me great joy to stretch out of my everyday comfort zone of tacos, pizza and spaghetti and think about injera and wat!
I am sorry to say that "mama" did NOT make this lunch. It was a gift from a friend of mine, Tess. She is originally from a village very very close (as we are finding out) to the village the boys were born. This is amazing since our town has a small Ethiopian population. She actually used to live in Medula the town of their birth. God has been so gracious to bring us together. We were able to have coffee this week and get to know each other even more. You know when you just connect to a certain someone?! Not only do we have a connection in Christ, we just plain hit it off.
Anyway, my friend made the wat (sauce) and has discovered an older Ethiopian women on the other side of town who makes and sells injera. SCORE!!! I am hoping she is able to sell some more to us soon as my friend is going to help me cook some sauces to go with. It is amazing how this food makes our little guys so happy. It gives me great joy to stretch out of my everyday comfort zone of tacos, pizza and spaghetti and think about injera and wat!
Thursday, March 13, 2008
zoobs and daredevils
Creations from our home:
the first one is way back from Christmas time, but it is still fun to see. Kaylee and Isaac worked on this together.
The second one is pretty recent, It's a T-Rex that was made with Zoobs.
We applied for Soc.Sec. cards for Levi and Jesse today and everything went pretty smooth.
We will have to do it again after we finalize, but it's still a good step to get through.
the first one is way back from Christmas time, but it is still fun to see. Kaylee and Isaac worked on this together.
The second one is pretty recent, It's a T-Rex that was made with Zoobs.
We applied for Soc.Sec. cards for Levi and Jesse today and everything went pretty smooth.
We will have to do it again after we finalize, but it's still a good step to get through.
Sunday, March 09, 2008
Don't Waste Your Life
Layne and I were driving to his parents house today and had a "car date". The kids were quiet and buckled in so we had a pretty much uninterrupted conversation.....smile.......We were discussing how thankful we are to be falling less and less in love with the "things of this world" and more and more in love with our Savior, Jesus. It is by the grace of God that we can say this. We live in America and so it is very easy to be distracted by what clothes we have, how we look,what kind of car we drive, wanting to have our needs met quickly if not immediately, the size of our home, how successful our kids, being COMFORTABLE...........the list can go on and on.
Eight months ago we traveled to Ethiopia to bring our boys home. We now have a forever reminder of how much abundance we have here. How much time we can waste in a day fretting over things that really don't matter. Our time on earth is like a mere breath compared to eternity. Nothing we have in this world materially will go with us when our time on earth is over.
After pondering this we talked about reading a book we own by John Piper together. The title is "Don't Waste Your Life." We have flipped through it, but really want to read it together. We long to spend our time on things that really matter like knowing God in a deeper way, raising our kids for the glory of God and loving and serving people in this world.
Dear Lord,
You continue to fill our hearts with thoughts about the boys birth parents. Lord give us direction in how we can contact them. We continue to look for ways you want to use us in Ethiopia. Our hears our so inclined to the people there. It breaks my heart to think of their birth family suffering with hunger and sickness. Many children who are adopted from Ethiopia have no living birth parents. You have given us boys who have both still living and trusting in Jesus as their Saviour. Lord use us and give us the grace to follow your leading.
Eight months ago we traveled to Ethiopia to bring our boys home. We now have a forever reminder of how much abundance we have here. How much time we can waste in a day fretting over things that really don't matter. Our time on earth is like a mere breath compared to eternity. Nothing we have in this world materially will go with us when our time on earth is over.
After pondering this we talked about reading a book we own by John Piper together. The title is "Don't Waste Your Life." We have flipped through it, but really want to read it together. We long to spend our time on things that really matter like knowing God in a deeper way, raising our kids for the glory of God and loving and serving people in this world.
Dear Lord,
You continue to fill our hearts with thoughts about the boys birth parents. Lord give us direction in how we can contact them. We continue to look for ways you want to use us in Ethiopia. Our hears our so inclined to the people there. It breaks my heart to think of their birth family suffering with hunger and sickness. Many children who are adopted from Ethiopia have no living birth parents. You have given us boys who have both still living and trusting in Jesus as their Saviour. Lord use us and give us the grace to follow your leading.
Friday, March 07, 2008
New header image
As a favor to me and b'day present for Tanya, our friend Ellen over at
My Mulberry Street
created the cool header image at the top!
Thanks so much to her for helping us look so hip in the cyber-world!
My Mulberry Street
created the cool header image at the top!
Thanks so much to her for helping us look so hip in the cyber-world!
Happy Birthday, Tanya!
Yesterday, Tanya had a birthday.
It was a busy day, so we're posting it a little late!
Jesse's is next, there are a lot of March Birthday's now.
(My mom's is today!!
--Happy B'day, Meema!!)
Jesse's is next, there are a lot of March Birthday's now.
(My mom's is today!!
--Happy B'day, Meema!!)
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
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